Data Structure Information

This section gives an overview of the OS NGD data structure and details the data available for each OS NGD theme, collection and feature type.

Overview of the OS NGD data structure

OS NGD data is different from our other products because you access it from a single source where you'll find the data you need without having to download whole datasets. It also has a simpler data structure, designed to help you answer questions and develop more intelligent solutions, with quicker loading and implementation.

Infographic showing OS NGD terminology and data structure: themes, collections, feature types and features.
OS NGD data structure: themes, collections, feature types and features.

OS NGD data has been categorised to make it easier and quicker for you to discover the data you need:

  • Themes: Geographic data of Great Britain is structured into nine themes of related items.

  • Collections: Each theme is made up of one or more collections, which in turn have feature types.

  • Feature types: Feature types are the most granular level, with objects (features) grouped by geometry or classification.

Image showing a simple map of Great Britain. The 9 OS NGD data themes names are listed: Address, Administrative and Statistical Units, Buildings, Geographical Names, Land, Land Use, Structures, Transport, and Water.
The nine OS NGD data themes.

More in-depth information about OS NGD data terminology (themes, collections, feature types) is available from the OS NGD Fundamentals pages – these pages cover core elements of OS NGD design, including available data formats and file naming, data schema versioning, access methods, data ordering and currency, attribute information for feature types, unique identifiers and coordinate reference systems.

We recommend that you refer to the OS NGD Fundamentals pages as you work your way through this Data Structure section.

Explore OS NGD data

Content in this section is ordered by themes, collections and feature types, mirroring the OS NGD data structure itself. This level of categorisation should make it easier and quicker for you to discover the data you need.

For example, if you are interested in water or river data, then you should select 'OS NGD Water' from the card below or the left-hand-side navigation menu, then drill down through the collections to the water feature type(s) that interest you.

What's next?

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